Not Forever Gone
by Cielag
Summary: After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny Quinn's doppelganger, who seems to know Connor. The team is further puzzled when the soldier offers Connor the message: "Let me die"
1. Stained on the Soul

**Characters**: Connor, Abby, Danny Quinn, Nick, and Corporal Baumann  
**Spoilers**: None  
**A/N**: I own nothing of "Primeval" that belongs to Impossible Pictures and I make no money from this, clearly. This is a crossover between "Primeval" and "The Bunker" and no one will have needed to see "The Bunker" to understand this. And no, I didn't just write this on a whim.  
**Summary: **After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies to get back to the present, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny's German doppleganger, who seems to know Connor.

* * *

**i. Stained on the Soul**

Blood, a never-ending cleaning battle. Water had to be carefully introduced to the area as too much of this would cause immediate saturation and once that occurred, only by starting over with a dry rag could the mess see a fit ending. If one should continue adding salty drops to the crimson water in the sink., the task would undoubtedly go on for a long time. But such was the task facing young Abby Maitland as she gripped the edge of her sink, pulling all the strength she had in reserve, to keep from breaking down in front of her friend.

"Abby-- Abby--" a voice wailed from just around the corner. The cries were cut with the sobs of a crushed spirit, affecting a pang of sorrow to knot itself in Abby's throat.

Swallowing back her grief, Abby briskly wiped away the traces of tears left on her face and quickly went to her room. On her bed lay Connor Temple, his back hunched and his shoulders slumped. His body quaked, only adding to the agony presented in the continual laments of the youth. As Abby moved to his side, she noticed that Connor was running his hands together, over and under, as if still trying to wash the blood from them.

"I'm with you Connor."

The gentle words lifted Connor's chin slightly but they could not bring the young man to look at Abby. Almost immediately the warmth that had once swirled around his heart left him, causing Connor to give a pained gasp. His lower lip quivered and a torrent of tears flooded his face anew. With a mournful sob, Connor dipped his head forward.

"He's gone Abby, he's gone... I tried to save him but..." Connor squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, trying desperately to rid himself of the pain that lacerated his heart like a Future Predator to its prey. In his anguish, Connor could barely feel Abby enveloping him with her arms. Instead, Connor continued to cry, "If only we could have done something sooner! Maybe if I had just grabbed onto him, and pulled him through when he shoved me, he would be here with us now."

All the what-ifs in the world could not save their dear friend now. Shutting her eyes, Abby sought comfort by resting her cheek against Connor's shoulder. Her hand wove tenderly across Connor's chest, pulling the man closer to her. Try as she might, words could not form in her mouth though they constantly bombarded her mind.

"Abby I--" He couldn't even get the words out properly. Connor immediately buried his face in his hands and for a moment, disappeared inside the dark shell of hell and wept. As he mourned, Abby drew circles on Connor's back with her hand and wrapped her arms even tighter around him, letting her whole essence wrap Connor in a cocoon of shelter and safety.

"It's all right," Abby managed in a trembling voice. "Remember what he said, it's okay,"

"Abby I'm quitting!"

The abruptness of Connor's words hit as such a shock that it did not even register in Abby's mind. She continued to rub Connor's back, a frown creasing her brow. Her startled voice quaked, "...what?"

"I can't do this anymore!" Connor exclaimed as he began to sway slightly from side-to-side. "I don't want to go through anomalies anymore! I don't want to be part of this project this..." Could he bear to say it? Could he betray his leader's memory like this? Connor hung his head in shame. "I miss him, Abby. It's only been--" Again Connor shook his head, now rocking himself in a weak attempt at consoling. "--and I can't believe he's not going to be with us anymore. Abby I can't do this anymore--"

"You won't have to be alone Connor," Abby whispered. She pushed her fingers into his short, thick hair. "I'm going to be here for you, we're still a team Connor. You and me, and--"

"Abby, I need to quit the ARC. I can't stand to watch another person I care about die!" He felt Abby draw his head against her shoulder and for a moment, Connor held back, sniffling, "I can't do this anymore."

"I know, Connor," whispered Abby, tears carving their own paths down her cheeks. "I know."

And then, Connor collapsed against his dearest friend and wept until his strength left him entirely.

* * *


	2. Connor's Ghosts

**Characters**: Connor, Abby, Danny Quinn, Nick, and Corporal Baumann  
**Spoilers**: None  
**A/N**: I own nothing of "Primeval" that belongs to Impossible Pictures and I make no money from this, clearly. This is a crossover between "Primeval" and "The Bunker" and no one will have needed to see "The Bunker" to understand this. And no, I didn't just write this on a whim.  
**Summary: **After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies to get back to the present, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny's German doppleganger, who seems to know Connor. 150,000 years ago in the frozen landscape of Britain, Connor encounters more than just the great Irish deer.

* * *

**I. Connor's Ghosts**

Bits of velvet mixed with tree bark scattered across the virgin snow. Connor's eyes widened as he lifted his gaze slowly up the trunk of the tree in front of him. Breath, suspended in the air by the freezing temperatures of the Pleistocene epoch, seemed to glisten in the pristine air. As Connor stood frozen in spot the humid breath basted his face. Fear had no hold on the youth.

Just the shoulders alone of the massive creature rose above Connor's head. Antlers measuring at least twelve feet in length surrounded the front of the tree. The majestic deer was unlike anything that Connor had ever seen! And for the prehistoric creature nerd, Connor knew this species of deer to be the megaloceros, but to the common tongue, it was the Giant Irish Elk. To be standing a mere three feet from this beautiful creature was an experience unlike any other! How different was the world only a hundred and fifty thousand years from the present day!

Antlers once more lowered to nearly eye level and before rubbing briskly against the tree. More of the velvet began stripping away from the newly formed branches along its antlers. Connor tensed at the sight of the tips. They were sharp and capable of puncturing a mammal like him if the great buck wanted to. However, as Connor's thoughts drifted back another seventy million years in time. The pointed edge of the antlers turned to the ferocious banana-like teeth of a certain late-Cretaceous theropod.

A deafening roar filled Connor's head, causing the youth to start shivering in this horrifying recollection. Behind him the forest widened and the trees grew taller. Out across the vast frozen plains the snow evaporated and turned into another mess of trees. And the giant deer, a terrifying Albertosaurus! The eleven-foot high creature rounded the tree, lowering its face so that it was eye-level with Connor. It opened its massive jaws, exposing Connor to the stomach turning scent of rotting flesh.

Connor nearly gagged but found himself completely useless at trying to escape. The Albertosaurus reared its head back before jutting it forward, bellowing angrily at the human who dared to defy it. Blood dripped from the predator's lips onto Connor's jacket. The creature emitted a sharp hiss, coating Connor in the foulness of its breath.

Tears rolled down Connor's cheek as he stared into this killer's eyes. "You killed the soldier and now you're going to kill me..." Connor tried to square his shoulders in an effort to maintain a sense of defiance but found his knees growing weaker. Who was he kidding? He was always predator food! "Just get it over and done with, I don't want to feel any pain..."

The Giant Irish Elk bayed at Connor, shaking its mighty antlers at the youth. It grumbled in complaint against the mammal that refused to move from its path. This was worse than dealing with the hyenas and their constant yipping! Pawing at the snow with its massive hoof, the white-backed deer let out another guttural growl at Connor, issuing a stern command to move or be trampled!

From only a few yards away, Danny Quinn slid into the safety of one of the trees. Panic rose his adrenaline to a higher rate as he watched Connor's staring contest with the deer. Had Connor completely lost it since the late Cretaceous? Perhaps there was such a thing as a stress disorder caused by one too many anomaly travels! Danny could hardly believe that Connor would make no effort to get out of the way of the creature! For a moment Danny considered yelling to him, but doing so could startle the deer into charging Connor.

Sighing heavily, his options virtually nil, Danny crept quietly forward, using the various trees to mask his advancement. Of all the megafauna to come across it had to be this one! The giant elk had lowered its head once more to Connor, the antlers nearly enveloping him. More angry bellows came from the creature as it continued to beat at the snow-covered ground with its hoof. With a snort the creature suddenly reared on its hind legs, its hooves dancing just above Connor's head.

As the creature prepared to make a doormat out of the entranced Connor, the young man suddenly collapsed in the snow.

Not another one; not him! Danny flew towards the creature, yelling wildly at it. His foot caught a patch of ice and threw him hard into a nearby tree. Snow fell in thick clumps, pummeling both Danny and Connor's still form. The giant Irish deer planted its hooves on the ground just inches from Connor's face. It turned its enormous set of antler's towards Danny as he slowly picked himself up from the ground. He winced as sharp pain tore through his side from where he had hit the tree.

"Come on," Danny growled under his breath. He eyed the deer until he was certain that the huge creature was locked on him. "Follow me... come on..."

Once more the hoof began pushing back the snow on the forest floor. The creature shook its head, barely avoiding Connor with its sharp branches. Danny began to move away from the tree, the deer following the man's steps with its head. Swallowing hard, Danny prepared to make the run for his life. Whatever it took, he'd see that Connor was safe. But as it turned out, nature had a funny way of reminding all of creation who was still in control.

For as the giant deer raised its head and emitted another bone-rattling cry, the branches of the trees shook and more snow fell to the ground. A large piling of snow landed squarely between the creature's ears, dousing it with the cold substance. The deer hastened a retreat, pulling its antlers neatly out of the trees as more snow continued to pelt it from above. With a final roar of annoyance, the giant Irish deer turned back to its preferred semi-grassy habitat and began a slow walk back towards its herd.

Without much delay, Danny scrambled towards the fallen Connor. He dropped by Connor's side and rolled him gently onto his back. "Connor! Connor, wake up! Wake up you daft bugger!"

But the various sounds that followed brought Danny no comfort. If this was Connor being relatively conscious, perhaps it would be best if he was out entirely. Furiously Danny began checking Connor's face for visible signs of abrasion and began feeling around Connor's side, hoping that if his friend was in any severe pain that he would immediately be alerted so. But Connor continued to babble on in his incoherent state.

"Connor, you're a right lucky lad!" Danny shook his head and looked towards the field. The buck was grazing not too far from the edge of the forest and as if knowing that it was being watched, the creature lifted its head and looked at Danny. For once, Danny saw the animal not as a beast, but as a majestic creature of the past. As Danny marveled at it, the deer seemed to smile knowing at Danny.

Blinking, Danny hastily rubbed his eyes before looking back to the deer. But the creature was gone, grazing with the rest of its mates several hundred yards away. Startled by this, Danny furrowed his brows and tried to think of a logical solution to what had just happened. Possible delirium from colliding with a tree? Danny touched his head and felt blood working its way down the side of his face. This explained his state but what about Connor?

Returning his focus to Connor, Danny was alarmed to find that his friend had all but stopped his mumblings. Rubbing Connor's shoulder gently, Danny spoke urgently to him, "No Connor, stay with me! Come on mate, don't do this!" He shook Connor's shoulder firmly, hoping to keep the youth awake. But slowly Connor's words faded and at last he became still. If Connor wasn't hurt by the giant deer, what had caused him to fall unconscious? "I'm not giving up on you Connor. You can't die on us like the others."

Putting Connor over his shoulder, Danny painfully trudged through the snow back towards their shelter. He silently hoped that by the time he got there, Nick and Abby would have returned and that the anomaly would be found. He wasn't sure how much longer that he could take being in the Ice Age, even if it was supposed to be summer. None of them were equipped to handle the cold and the one who seemed to be taking the brunt of the sufferings was Connor. They needed to get back to civilization or risk dying of starvation and exposure to the elements.

A series of howls erupted from the nearby hill, the calls sending a cold torrent of fear through Danny. But now wasn't the time for being afraid. Connor was depending on him right now! Furrowing his brows, Danny pushed onwards. Help had to be coming soon. They couldn't be fated to die here in the cold, could they?

* * *


	3. A Stout Heart

**Characters**: Connor, Abby, Danny Quinn, Nick, and Corporal Baumann  
**Spoilers**: None  
**A/N**: I own nothing of "Primeval" that belongs to Impossible Pictures and I make no money from this, clearly. This is a crossover between "Primeval" and "The Bunker" and no one will have needed to see "The Bunker" to understand this. And no, I didn't just write this on a whim.  
**Summary: **After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies to get back to the present, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny's German doppleganger, who seems to know Connor. Safely back in the shelter, Danny consoles Connor over his nightmares of the Albertosaurus before Nick and Abby appear with news of an anomaly sighting.

* * *

**II. A Stout Heart**

Thunderous footsteps resounded in the hollow slumber that Connor had tried to find sanctuary in. His breath quickened as the fearsome theropod neared him. In the dream, Connor found that the Albertosaurus was a determined sort who had no problem in keeping up with the winded human. The hot, sticky breath coated Connor's backside, only prompting the young man to run faster. But for every turn the mighty hunter was right on his heels, ready to swallow him whole!

Connor rounded a large boulder and a massive head suddenly swung around the side of it; its jaws stretched so wide that Connor could see down its throat. The Albertosaurus lunged at the youth, swallowing him in terrifying darkness. Connor barely heard himself scream before he was jerked awake. Warmth hit the side of his face like a late summer wind but instead of being comforted by this, Connor recoiled from it. Choking blackness clouded his vision and angry snarls hammered into his brain.

"Don't eat me, don't eat me!" Connor wailed, thrashing about in his delirium. "I don't taste good! I don't taste good!"

"Eat you?" Danny grasped Connor's shoulders firmly, holding him against the side of the hole. "Connor, wake up! It's me, Danny!"

Connor jolted awake, gasping loudly as though he was inhaling air for the first time. He grabbed hold of whatever was touching his arm and stared wide-eyed into the snow-covered forest. How he came to be in a standing position was beyond Connor's concern. For the moment he was completely lost in this purgatory until Danny's voice began drawing Connor's mind back to the present. Though Connor seemed awake, his conscious state seemed to be still traveling somewhere in the late Cretaceous epoch.

"Please Connor, snap out of it! It's me, Danny!"

"Danny?" Connor shifted his gaze in the direction of the voice. The look of true fear in Danny Quinn's eyes was almost as troublesome as the Albertosaurus that had lurked in his dreams. The sight alone shook Connor free from the clutches of his nightmare. He demanded shakily, "Danny, why are you looking at me like that?"

"I thought I had lost you," replied the elder man in a short breath. His heart was still racing from the sudden upset in the youth. "What happened Connor? What is it that you're not telling us?" Danny released the young man's arms before pulling himself back up to his sitting position on the side of the ditch. By now Connor had calmed down some and was staring into the small fire that had earlier warmed his face. Folding his hands in his lap, Danny sighed, "Come on Connor, I know something is wrong. You haven't been right since the last anomaly we went through."

"Danny I--" Connor blew a short breath of air and turned his face from the fire. He shut his eyes, his head hung in shame. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

The poor kid. Was he this far gone that Connor was starting to lose touch with reality? Surely starvation played tricks on the mind but could it cause someone to lose sanity in less than three days? Danny wasn't sure what to say but the one thought that stood clearly in his mind was the necessity to keep Connor talking. If Connor was exercising brain power, that meant that the kid was still conscious.

In a gentler tone, Danny said, "Why don't you start with telling me why you were waiting for that giant deer to leave trail marks your back."

Connor jerked his head up, his eyes locking with Danny's. Confusion clouded the young man's eyes as he inquired softly, "What giant deer?"

"What giant deer?" Danny couldn't believe his ears! Connor was truly mad now! "The one that was…" The sincere disarray in Connor's pale face stirred another thought in Danny's mind. Leaning forward slightly, Danny inquired, "What were you staring at, Connor?"

"The Albertosaurus," Connor replied simply. "It had eaten all the soldiers and it was coming for me. There was nobody there with me; I was the last one left. That's why they were hunting me." Connor shook his head before shifting his gaze back to the muddy walls of the ditch. "Danny, that American soldier… Joey…" Connor drew in a long breath to try and steady his shaken nerves. "I saw him…"

Tilting his head, Danny said, "Yes, I heard you tell Nick that you found Tolbert's body near a boulder. We saw what was left…" Danny silenced himself in knowing that reminding Connor of the single arm that remained of the soldier would not ease his suffering. So instead, Danny agreed calmly, "Yes, you found him."

"No, I didn't just find him," replied Connor as he shook his head. Cold tears had begun stealing their way down Connor's muddied cheeks. "He was alive and wounded. I told him to hold on and that I would get to him but that's when the Albertosaurus lunged at him. Franco grabbed my arm and pulled me away. I tried to go back to him but this other soldier wouldn't let me. He said that it was hopeless and that I should be glad that the Albertosaurus was distracted."

For a moment Connor paused, his gaze going up to the small embankment behind him as Danny stared at him, the shock silencing him. When at last Connor had found his breath again, he continued, "Franco told me that we were all going to die there and that if it wasn't one creature that would kill us it would be another. That nothing we did, no matter the anomalies we went through, that we'd slowly be picked off."

"Franco was a selfish bastard who spoke out of his arse," Danny interrupted with a sniff of annoyance. He despised that man for briefly taking over the team. The deciding factor had truly been when Franco held the rifle to Danny's head after rendering Nick unconscious. Perhaps it was for these two reasons that Danny held no sympathy over the traitor's death.

"Well, he must have known something for he was the next one the Albertosaurus came after," said Connor softly. He looked back up at Danny. The youth's tears were gone, though they had left their mark across his dirty face. "I watched him die too. And if he's gone, that means one of us--me, I'm next…"

Danny shook his head and spoke up, "No, don't you dare start thinking like that Connor! Don't start thinking like him! What did he know about dinosaurs that didn't have the words: 'big paycheck' scribbled after its name ? You are our expert here and you know how it is in the movies; the experts don't get eaten, they have to live."

"Not me," Connor whimpered, his hand clasping his face in agony. "I'm the nerd, remember? The geeky, sci-fi obsessed always die! We're always the ones who keep mucking it up for the rest of the team and slowly but surely death finds us!"

"Connor, this isn't a movie and you are not going to die." Heaving an exasperated sigh, Danny looked away from the young man. Darkness was settling in the forest though the dusk would not come for a few more hours. But already the air temperature was dropping rapidly. Danny prayed that the fire would burn long enough for Nick and Abby to return. He didn't need to elevate Connor's problems by having to search for the missing pair in the darkness.

"Franco said that I was going to," Connor mumbled, pulling Danny out of his thoughts, "He said that we all were going to be predator food and look at what happened to him! He was right!" Coldness robbed Connor of the warmth that had once been the encouraging fuel for his will to live. "I don't want to die Danny." And then Connor disappeared from sight, finally slumping back into the ditch.

Worrying about the others would have to wait. Looking down at the shivering youth, Danny wanted to scold him for his foolishness. Since when did Connor start listening to that sort of rubbish? But as the quiet, broken sobs filled the air, Danny was moved to compassion and he soon joined Connor at the bottom of the ditch. Pulling over his backpack, Danny rolled out the wool blanket and pushed it to Connor's chest, adding to the one from earlier.

"You will not die Connor," Danny stated firmly. "This will not last forever and soon we are going to be on our way home. The only thing we really have to fear right now is the cold and I won't let you freeze to death. We have a fire, it will keep you warm." Placing himself next to the youth, Danny slowly pulled Connor against him. "You're safe Connor, you have nothing to fear here. We're a strong team and I promise that I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Whatever would have you dead would have had to destroy me first before I'd let anything happen to you."

"I don't want you to die either."

His voice, so small and weak, it hardly sounded like the goofy kid that Danny had grown fond of over the year that he had known him. Danny gently rubbed Connor's arm, hoping to bring an end to the constant shivering. "Just worry about yourself for the moment Connor. You are very brave and very strong to have endured all that you have."

"I feel so… weak," Connor murmured, drawing closer in Danny's embrace. He brought the blanket up so that it could provide Danny with some warmth as well. "It's like I have no strength left in me. I'm so cold that I don't even know if there is any life left in me to continue trying to survive. All I feel is fear."

"Everyone feels fear, Connor," Danny whispered.

"But you're not afraid of anything." This brought a chuckle from Danny which resulted in an immediate exclamation from Connor, "But you don't! You played chicken with the g-rex in a helicopter, dangled over the side of the lorry while a terror bird was trying to eat you; you had no qualms about dragging a nearly unconscious pyroraptor back with you through the anomaly… and that was after having survived a week out in the ocean, on a log… with it! Danny, you know no fear!"

"Being brave isn't about facing some horrible monster, it is having the courage to face adversity knowing full and well that the task before you is far more important than your own life. Fear is common. But we can either choose to be ruled by it, or command it." Danny paused for a moment, his blue eyes going to the top of the ditch as a way of releasing the tension in his distant gaze. "When I saw you go down, I thought you were dead. And as I watched over you, I feared that you weren't going to make it. When I heard those screams echoing in the woods yesterday, I was scared that Franco had sacrificed you to the Albertosaurus."

"The theropod kind of ruined his plans on that," Connor added in a grumble. He turned his head and for a moment contented himself in watching Danny stare into nothing. A slow smile of admiration began to glow on Connor's face as he questioned, "You actually care about us, then? We are more to you than just bait for predators?"

"Of course you are more than just bait," replied Danny with surprise. His face fell in disappointment and he regarded Connor with a worried frown, "Do you think I would honestly put you in a situation where you could actually die? Connor, I may do things that begs question but I am not heartless. You guys are my family. Outside of the anomaly team, there is…" Danny let out a deep sigh, his eyelids drooping some in sorrow. He breathed in a whisper, "…emptiness. We are a family, so much the better when we are all together. I declined Nigel's job offer at Prehistoric Park."

"You're daft Danny! You should have taken it!"

"Prehistoric Park doesn't have what Lester gave me when he allowed me to join the team."

Connor continued to stare at Danny and watched as the warmth of hope brightened the elder man's face. He could scarcely breathe the question that was on his mind, but Danny was already one step ahead of him.

"A real home away from home," Danny whispered. "Something I could believe in, fight for, and fight with. For most of my adult life I have been waging a personal war, vying for vengeance, and finally finding that no matter how much I wanted blood, it could never bring back my kid brother. It was only in letting go, and finally doing the right thing, that I found peace. My brother is gone, but in his death, I've found where I belong."

Connor leaned his chin against Danny's shoulder and shut his eyes. He could feel his friend's hand still around his shoulder, providing him even more warmth. What misgivings Connor had about his courageous leader! All this time Connor had been lead to believe that Danny was just a reckless individual who only cared about the well-being of his raptors and defeating his old enemies. How could he have known that Danny considered them all to be part of his extended family?

Managing to lift his chin a little, Connor spoke in shame, "Thank you, for all you've done for me."

Danny smiled at Connor and playfully tussled his hair. "It's what families are here for. And Connor, please do yourself a favor and mourn. You've been through a lot and nobody here, especially me, or even Nick, are going to think any less of you for it."

"What about Abby? I don't want her to see me like this."

Again Danny chuckled. "Something tells me that women do not see this so much a fault as they see this being a man humbling himself before his emotions."

The first glimmer of light broke across Connor's face, sweeping from one cheek to the other. "You know, for an old man, you sure are smart."

"Cheeky git," smirked Danny, once more ruffling Connor's short hair.

A relaxed sigh escaped Connor's lips and once more he felt his eyes drifting shut. With a renewed spirit, Connor's heart felt light and finally content. The roars of the Albertosaurus, once so deafening in his ears, were no more. Calm had filled him entirely and now gentle, rolling hills beckoned him to his slumber. The enormous figure of the giant Irish elk bayed a friendly welcome. Connor's head touched Danny's shoulder, his breath steady and peaceful. At last, in the safety of his kith, Connor was able to sleep.

Danny gazed at Connor for a moment, a pleased smile resting on his lips. He could never have his brother back though finding redemption in his loss through the rescue of the pyroraptor named Pod had been a relief to his burdened heart. But it was this team that had given him such great hope for a future. At last he was truly needed. The tired warrior sighed contentedly, his heartbeat full and proud. He would watch over Connor and keep him safe. No matter the cost, Danny would see him home.

Darkness had begun encompassing the forest as well as the small shelter by the time Danny heard the sound of approaching voices. Nick's thick accent was even more unmistakable in a land cloaked in silence. Normally the thought of the Scot approaching him would send uneasiness through him but not this time. Nick wasn't his enemy and whether Danny could admit it to Nick or not, Danny needed him. Nick's natural sense of logic was vital to balancing Danny's foolhardy impulses. It had been through this calm sense of direction that had kept Danny alive thus far in this labyrinth!

Abby reached the ditch first and crouched on the edge, her face lit with amusement. She let her head fall to the side, her grin wide. "This is almost too cute to break up. Oi, Connor!"

Danny smirked and looked up at Nick. "Find anything out there besides giant deer and snow?"

The true leader of the team stood silently for a moment, his excitement contained to expose only the slightest of smirks. "Much better Quinn, much better. There is an anomaly but it doesn't lead home. It's close, but not quite it."

"Is it warm there?" Connor mumbled in between yawns.

"It's warmer than here, but not paradise," Abby smirked. She offered her hand to Connor, "Come on! There's an abandoned house on the other side! There is food there, see!"

As Connor turned his face out of Danny's shoulder he felt something hard smack into his chest. He picked it up and held the oddly wrapped thing to the light of the fire. His eyes widened some with question, "What is a K-ration?"

"It's food!" Abby exclaimed. "Come on Connor, let's go! Let's get out of here!"

"This is better than what I had dreamt about!" Connor remarked, now grabbing hold of Abby's hand and letting her help guide him out of the ditch. "Of course, anything almost would be better than diving head-first into the garbage cans trying to salvage a perfectly good burger."

"You are ridiculous," Abby remarked, giving Connor a playful nudge.

Connor felt his spirits lifted higher as he watched Abby. Surely things could only get better now! Turning around, Connor took hold of Danny's wrist and aided in pulling his other leader out of the hole. "Did you hear that Danny, civilization!"

Danny's face seemed to glow in the light of the fire. He nodded his head solemnly before patting Connor briskly on the shoulder. "I told you that everything was going to be okay." Looking to Nick, Danny dipped his head respectfully at him, "You lead Cutter, we'll follow."

As the four began their trek through the snow, Danny felt a presence behind him. Surely it was nothing. He pressed onwards, tailing behind Connor and Abby and smiling at their playful jokes. As much as he wanted to join in on the fun, he couldn't shake the presence that seemed to be following him. The hairs along the back of his neck pricked and he suddenly turned his head over his right shoulder.

Several yards back stood the silhouette of the giant deer.

* * *


	4. Wolves

**Characters**: Connor, Abby, Danny Quinn, Nick, and Corporal Baumann  
**Spoilers**: None  
**A/N**: I own nothing of "Primeval" that belongs to Impossible Pictures and I make no money from this, clearly. This is a crossover between "Primeval" and "The Bunker" and no one will have needed to see "The Bunker" to understand this. And no, I didn't just write this on a whim.  
**Summary: **After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies to get back to the present, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny's German doppleganger, who seems to know Connor. With night falling in the Pleistocene, it is a mad race across a mile and a half of woods with wolves on the team's trail.

* * *

**III. Wolves**

Fear leapt through Danny and he tried to cry out a warning to his team but found himself silenced by the majesty of the creature. What did it want from them? With the stag focused directly on him, Danny could feel its gaze piercing the very core of his soul. A tinge of panic shot through Danny's nerves but he did not move. Neither did the deer. It continued to stare at the man, unflinching in its cold serenity.

"Guys…" Danny started to call out softly. He tried to raise his voice but the moment the creature started to move Danny found himself speechless. Swallowing hard, Danny tried to back up but found that he could only take one shaky step. No one could hear him.

The deer advanced on Danny, its steps careful and calculated as though it had been pre-determined. Danny fought the invisible bounds that held him rooted to the spot. Again he tried to call for help but found his voice subdued. The deer was now only five feet from him. The megafauna suddenly turned its head sharply over its right shoulder, forcing Danny to follow its gaze.

To his horror, small shadows were moving rapidly between the trees. There was only one creature that still hunted in packs in this area, wolves. Forgetting the giant deer, Danny moved quickly back towards the group. It wasn't hard to locate them through Connor's constant chatter. For the moment, Connor's lack of noise discipline was a great asset to him. Sliding in step with them, Danny calmly ushered them closer to Nick.

The Scot looked curiously at Danny as the man kept looking across him from side to side. Smirking a little, Nick asked, "Forget to ask the deer if they wanted to come with you?"

"Wolves," Danny breathed firmly, his eyes immediately scanning the area behind him. Nothing seemed to be lurking there.

The humor left Nick's expression and he quickened his pace. "There is a clearing up here. From there it is only a mile until we reach the anomaly and that is if we take the most direct route."

"Well guv', I'd say that would be the best way to handle this." Danny glanced over his shoulder and saw Connor lift his head and greet him with a cheerful smile. So much Danny wanted to give him the reassuring smile that he had offered earlier, but things were rapidly changing and Danny couldn't raise any encouragement for the kid. Looking back to Nick, Danny saw that the woods had begun to clear and the field drew nearer. Danny inquired, "Would it doing any good if we ran?"

"Predators will chase things that run," Nick responded calmly, his own words finding a way to settle his anxious nerves. If it wasn't one concern it was another. The wolves had been lingering in his mind but the fear of losing the anomaly seemed more pressing at the time. Now, Nick wasn't sure if they could reach the anomaly without being eaten. "We'd do better to stand together as a group. We move as one, but we move quickly."

"You hear that, guys?" Danny inquired, looking back at Abby and Connor. He saw that Connor's face was growing paler by the moment. Immediately Danny glanced around the area. They were at the clearing now and not a creature was in sight.

"It's so quiet," Abby remarked under her breath. Connor resisted taking hold of her hand. As Danny would protect them both, Connor would watch over Abby.

Turning to the group, Nick directed them, "Here's what we're going to do, we have to take the most direct route to the anomaly that we can."

"Won't the wolves just lock onto our position that much faster?" Abby inquired.

"They might, but if we keep moving, we might be able to beat them to the anomaly. Once we get there, I'm going to go first to make sure that nothing is waiting for us on the other side."

"Why?" Connor inquired as Nick began to trot across the snow-covered field. "Wait, Cutter… what could be waiting on the other side?"

"Don't worry about that now," said Abby as she moved past Connor. "Just think about how nice it will be being someplace warmer than this! And do keep up will you!"

Connor struggled forward, his foot catching every so often in the snow. By his side was Danny, ready to quickly pick the youth up in case he went down. They were in the middle of the clearing now and still no sign of the wolves. But the unmistakable feeling of being watched sent a cold knot of fear into Danny's stomach. Looking to Connor, Danny gave him an encouraging pat on his back and told him, "It's not too far now Connor, you can do it."

The weakened young man nodded his head and smiled gratefully at Danny. They continued at this pace and constantly kept checking their surroundings. Out in the open, the fading light of the sun could clearly be seen behind the hills. But this provided little reassurance in an easy journey. When they reached the forest, Nick continued taking point, positioning Abby directly behind him. Connor stayed close to Abby. No longer was this just about something big and nasty wanting to eat them, it was something small and familiar that wanted to turn them into food.

Bringing up the rear, Danny made sure that nothing escaped his attention. Every piece of snow-covered bush was well-noted in Danny's mind as they trudged onwards. Along them the hill had turned steep to where a cliff formed. An incline that rose just above their heads jutted out closest to the team and it was from there that Danny heard the first snarl. He looked up in time to see a large canine leap from its post.

"Abby, look out!"

The wolf collided with Abby, knocking her into the snow. Nick spun around and faced the wolf as Connor pulled Abby to her feet. Danny quickly closed the gap and faced the woods behind him. The foliage was rustling and the panting of the pack was now audible. A rolling sigh escaped Danny's lips. "What now guv'nor?"

"The only thing we can," Nick replied, watching as the wolf struggled to its feet and limped off into the undergrowth. "We run."

Connor, holding Abby tightly to him, looked bewilderedly at Nick, exclaiming, "But I thought we established that running is a bad idea!"

"Right now, it's the only thing we've got left." Nick took hold of Abby's hand. "Everyone stay very close behind! Don't let them pick us off!"

With that, Nick hastened his steps. Once he was certain that Abby wasn't injured by the wolf's attack, Nick started to run. Abby easily kept up beside him but Nick would not let go of her hand. Sure Connor was a brave fellow but against a wolf, Nick wasn't sure that Connor could properly defend Abby. But if Connor was with Danny, Nick was certain that they would both make it through the anomaly. It was only Abby that Nick had moderate concerns about at the moment.

As the four ran through the forest they could hear the wolves crashing through the undergrowth. Now and again Connor caught a glimpse of fur but it would disappear as quickly as Connor had seen it. A small incline was beginning to appear in the forest and suddenly Nick's voice was heard shouting:

"It's just before that cliff! We're almost there!"

Danny ran alongside Connor, unwilling to leave his side. Adrenaline kept Connor moving, though Danny could see that soon even that energy would be spent. Connor was virtually on his last breath of life but Danny would be damned if he would leave Connor to die in this world! He would carry him through the anomaly if it had to come to that! Forget his pride! Danny wanted the kid to live!

"We've come so far Connor, we're almost--"

A large burly wolf grabbed hold of Danny's ankle and pulled him into the snow. Danny turned on his back and immediately started kicking at the wolf's jaws. A second wolf appeared at the man's head, its saliva greeting Danny with a sickening splash upon his face. Danny froze in his spot. The wolf snarled at him and lunged for his throat but a foot collided with its head.

"Get up Danny!" Connor shouted, grabbing his friend's arm.

Danny struggled to his feet, grimacing as he did so. "Connor, get out of here! The anomaly could be closing and those wolves are going to be back!"

"I'm not leaving you behind!" Connor exclaimed as he threw Danny's arm over his shoulder. He dragged his leader forward, continuing, "It's as you said Danny, we've come so far. We're not giving up! We're both getting there together! Come on!"

Unable to argue against this renewed sense of strength, Danny urged himself forward. His foot sent waves of hot pain through his leg but he paid it no mind. The wolves were back and gaining in number! And then at last the radiant light of the anomaly could be seen through the trees. Connor gave a weak laugh but even that was suddenly cut short when a wolf leapt up at him. The wolf pushed Connor over, sending Danny into a nearby bush. As Danny pulled himself free from the prickly mess he heard Connor scream.

A wolf had locked onto Connor's arm and was viciously biting into it. Connor was kicking madly at the creature but the larger wolf was not wanting to let go. Rage filled Danny and he jumped at the wolf, tackling it into the snow. He yelled at Connor, "Go! Get out of here! Get with the others!"

Connor shakily rose to his feet but the moment he took a step he suddenly collapsed. "Connor!" Danny yelled. He rushed over to Connor and grabbed him. The young man's eyes were barely open and blood covered the right side of his face. In near panic, Danny brushed Connor's cheeks, calling to him repeatedly, "Stay with me Connor! Connor! Come on, I need you to stay with me!"

"Danny, I--" Connor began to roll himself up against his good side. Pain shot through his arm from where the wolf had bitten him. Danny grabbed Connor by the jacket before moving his arm over his shoulder as Connor had earlier done with him.

"You're going to live Connor," Danny spoke firmly, staggering forward with the nearly unconscious youth. "I made a promise, and I am going to keep it Connor. You just hang on okay? Don't quit on me because I'm not quitting on you. Stay strong Connor, please, stay strong."

Connor could barely keep his eyes open. The forest around him seemed to blur into a vast darkness. Howls erupted from nearby. But what kept Connor conscious was the determination to not quit on Danny.

Reaching the anomaly, Nick looked back into the woods. Already the anomaly was beginning to pulse. There wasn't much time left. Looking at Abby, Nick said, "The wolves could have gone into the anomaly. You follow me but stay close behind."

Nodding briskly, Abby swallowed hard and looked behind her. Neither Danny or Connor could be seen in the darkness but the howls of the ravenous wolves filled the freezing night. "Connor!" Abby screamed. She strained her hearing to detect anything that would give her hope. Looking back at Nick, she pleaded, "We should wait for them."

"I'm not going to throw you or anyone else through there with that kind of threat possibly lurking on the other side! We may have found a safe house for the time, but you also know what's going on out there! So stay close behind!"

With that Nick disappeared in the anomaly. Knowing that she had no choice, Abby gave the forest one last wistful glance, shouting, "Connor! Danny! Quickly! It's closing!" Then she too disappeared into the anomaly.

Down only a little ways in the woods, Danny limped forward, speaking encouragingly to Connor, "We're almost there. Just a little further."

The flickering of the anomaly caught Danny's attention. It was beginning to throb like a headache. The wolves seemed to be everywhere. Racing up the slight incline, Danny pushed Connor forward. There was such precious time left! Suddenly amidst the pulsating light, Nick's figure appeared. He looked at Danny and Connor.

"On your own time! Now!" Nick shouted.

A large grey wolf appeared alongside the anomaly and with it, four others. Danny threw Connor at Nick. The startled Connor stared in bewilderment at Danny. The elder man gave a half-hearted smile before turning to the wolves. Connor struggled against Nick's hold, screaming in horror but Nick wasn't about to lose Connor as well and pulled him through the anomaly. But holding onto Connor was a struggle in itself and Nick found that he could no longer hold onto the squirming young adult.

Picking himself up from the grassy ground, Connor lunged at the anomaly but was forced back into the dirt by Nick. The anomaly heaved one last sigh before vanishing and the area fell into a cold abyss of darkness. Connor's wails filled the chilling air until at last his strength left him entirely and he became still on the cold ground.

* * *


	5. Discovery in the Woods

**Characters**: Connor, Abby, Danny Quinn, Nick, and Corporal Baumann  
**Spoilers**: None  
**A/N**: I own nothing of "Primeval" that belongs to Impossible Pictures and I make no money from this, clearly. This is a crossover between "Primeval" and "The Bunker" and no one will have needed to see "The Bunker" to understand this. And no, I didn't just write this on a whim. Thank you "**talliw**" and "**captsoontirfel**" for help with the German dialogue!  
**Summary: **After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies to get back to the present, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny's German doppleganger, who seems to know Connor. Safely on the other side of the anomaly, Connor is startled by a German soldier in the woods.

* * *

**IV. Discovery in the woods**

A cool rag to Connor's forehead brought the young man back to consciousness. He cried out in pain, immediately reaching for his head, but soft fingers gently coursed through his hair, rendering Connor silent. His entire arm throbbed and as he tried to move it stinging pain ran from his fingers into his wrist, and straight into his elbow. Yet the only pain Connor could truly recognize was knowing that Danny had been stranded on the other side of the anomaly. Nothing in the world could comfort him of that knowledge.

Abby sat beside Connor on the floor, staring sadly at him. For the last hour she had tended to his wounds. Though the wolf's bite had been ugly, it was not deep and so Abby was able to bandage it without fear of Connor bleeding to death. But if the morning proved that it was getting infected, a more drastic measure would have to be taken. Absently Abby ran her fingers through Connor's short hair, holding back the tears she wanted to cry.

Danny Quinn was gone and now, she could soon find herself without the man she loved. Could Connor, half-starved and thoroughly exhausted, stand having his wound cauterized? Abby stroked Connor's hair continually until she was certain that he was awake. Then she moved away from him, careful still to not let Connor see her feeling so helpless. This sort of state wasn't how Connor was used to seeing her. Connor would need her to be strong, and for him, she would do exactly that.

"Abby," Connor breathed quietly as he sat up. "Where's Danny… you were able to get Danny, weren't you?"

"He didn't make it," Abby replied softly, her heart mourning at the words.

Nick added quietly, "He kept the wolves from coming in though. There is no… Connor…"

Connor glared at Nick. He shook his head, exclaiming, "How can you say that? Why are you so quick to give up on everyone? You never gave him a chance, ever! He's always had to prove himself worthy to be working with us, just like me! You never gave him a chance and now you've given up on him!"

Nick was about to respond when Connor suddenly started pushing himself up. The youth staggered across the small, dusty room before collapsing in the chair by the curtain-less window. Slowly Nick made his way over to the window and leaned against the wall. "Connor, there was nothing I could do. You saw what Danny did. You can't argue what happened."

"I'm going to sit here and watch," Connor replied firmly, his gaze out the window. "Somebody has to stay up and watch over us."

"Connor, let me do that for you," Nick suggested softly. "You're tired and you've been through a lot. There is no reason for you to do this on your own. Let me help you."

"I can stay up all night, waiting," Connor replied, his voice emotionless and cold. "I won't give up on him. That anomaly will reopen and when it does, Danny will be coming through it. I know he will! If you want, you can help me in two hours but right now, I want to do this on my own."

Giving a slight sigh of concern, Nick looked to Abby, who simply shrugged before curling up on the floor. Nick squeezed Connor's shoulder and said, "All right then. In two hours, wake me up and I will switch with you. And if you aren't feeling tired, you can keep me company then. How does that sound?"

Connor didn't reply. His eyes remained locked on the dark forest, a solitary tear suspended on his cheek.

Tick-tack-tocking; the minutes dragged endlessly on and with it came increasing sorrow within young Connor's heart. As the midnight drew near, it brought with it one of the coldest nights Connor had ever known. The moon had just begun its descent in the sky and part of the forest began to lighten. A light fog clung to the cold grassy floor of the forest but outside of the mist, nothing moved.

Connor heaved a soft sigh before moving his elbows to the window sill. Nick had wanted to keep the first watch but Connor had insisted upon maintaining vigilance. If Danny was going to be coming through the woods, Connor wanted to be the first one to see him. He owed them both this much at least. In truth, Connor wasn't going to wake Nick at all. So much the leader Nick was, that Connor wanted a chance to prove himself capable at protecting the team.

"_Whatever would have you dead would have had to destroy me first before I'd let anything happen to you_."

"_I don't want you to die either_." That was what Connor had pleaded of his friend.

But Danny was gone; this was something Connor could not bring himself to admit. Brushing away tears that had missed detection, Connor focused his gaze once more on the woods. He had to keep thinking positive. If the anomaly had opened once before, it was quite possible that it would open again within only a few short hours. Perhaps now his fearless companion would appear! Danny Quinn was a man of high intelligence and was very resourceful. Surely he would know where to find this cabin, wouldn't he?

But then he remembered the food that Abby had found. The K-rations had been mixed with wrappers that were in German. Several of the containers that were left behind bore the infamous swastika badge. Everything was fresh; even the scent of the bread was still lingering in one of the wrappers. They were back in the second world war and from the looks of it, somewhere near the closing act. But the only trouble was, which side of the war did they land in?

Movement from the forest caught Connor's eyes. Lifting his head, he squinted in the darkness. Something large was migrating towards the cabin. Hooves stepped into the moonlight and a tawny head drifted towards the ground, immediately beginning a dining feast on the grass. A smile drew across Connor's face as he lifted his head even higher. A herd of the giant Irish Elk had found their way through the anomaly. The does were certainly not as big as the great stag that Connor had encountered, but they were definitely queenly in their own state.

"Hopefully whatever soldiers are out there they won't think that you are some giant thing to play target practice with," Connor thought to himself with a small smirk. The doe continued to munch peacefully on the grass, drawing closer to the cabin. One of their ears twitched and the moonlight became brighter. A pair of antlers reflected the brightness of the lunar lamp. Connor sat up straight, "Danny…"

The youth leapt from his spot and raced quietly to the door. Opening it, Connor gave Abby one last longing sigh before departing. He couldn't wake them. They would be safer in the cabin at any rate. And besides, Nick would probably call him crazy for wanting to follow a prehistoric deer in the forest. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Connor rounded the broken cabin and began making his way towards the herd of giant deer. At the opposite end of the herd stood the white stag. It's gaze rested on Connor and for a slight moment, Connor felt a tinge of fear.

Moving carefully towards the herd, Connor tried to count his steps so that he would not lose his way upon returning. When he looked to the herd, he saw that they were beginning to move deeper into the woods. It wasn't too long before Connor couldn't see the outline of the cabin anymore. But it was at that moment that the travelers came to an abrupt halt and Connor had no choice but to cross through them.

Trying not look at any of the creatures directly. Though they were does, their shoulders still came up nearly to his. Connor carefully stepped between the deer, his course changing every now and then as a doe stepped forward. As Connor drew closer to the white-backed deer, Connor felt his heart beating even faster. If Connor had the slightest bit of sense he would get right back into the safety of the cabin. But right now, all he cared about was finding his lost friend.

A furry head suddenly butted Connor from behind and the young man found himself being thrown face-first into the ground. Giant hooves stepped inches from his face, drawing Connor's attention slowly upwards. The stag stood before him, his gaze suddenly soft and serene. Unexplainably Connor found himself smiling back at the great deer. Fears melted away under the caring gaze of this beautiful creature. It was as if this animal had sought him and him alone. But for what reason?

Carefully Connor pushed himself up to his knees. Backing away a little, Connor rose to his feet. The deer continued to look down at Connor, its breath falling gently on his face. And then the stag turned his head to the left. Following suit, Connor looked to where the creature was directing him towards and saw to his amazement that a figure was approaching him. The man was clad in something dark, something like what Danny had been wearing earlier.

Curious, Connor took a few steps forward, his heart leaping in bounds as the thought of finally finding his friend replayed in his mind. Cautiously Connor moved toward this unknown person. There was something familiar in the limp. Surely the only one wounded in a battle field was Danny, right? Putting his misgivings aside, Connor eagerly stepped towards the man. His joy surged when the man finally looked at him. Danny!

Connor's face erupted in a smile and he bounded forward. A flash of silver caught Connor's eye and then at last he saw what the man was wearing. In normal lighting the jacket was a dark olive green but in the moonlight, it was grey. This was a uniform, not Danny's outdoor clothing. Scenes of movies flooded Connor's mind as he quickly tried to place the uniform. American, hopefully. But what was Danny doing in a world war two uniform?

Standing rigid in the darkness, Connor's eyes were wide with shock and his breath clinging to the cold air around him. He stayed next to the tree, fear wanting to dominate him. This wasn't Danny Quinn, this was someone else, a German. Worse than that, he was probably a Nazi! A prick of fear told Connor to run as fast as he could from that spot. Gripping the tree, Connor turned to flee but the words of his fallen comrade stilled him.

"_Fear is common. But we can either choose to be ruled by it, or command it_."

"Wer da? Wer da?" commanded the figure, taking another hesitant step towards Connor. "Sie mir Ihren Ausweis!"

Thanking the fact that he had actually remembered some of his German, Connor leaned against the tree and contemplated his answer. What was it that the Germans always shouted when they were cornered by the Americans? Something about not wanting to get shot? Licking his lips, Connor shouted back, "Nicht schiessen! Nicht schiessen!"

"Neumann?" The doppleganger looked out from his tree hiding place.

Connor could almost feel the man squinting at him through the darkness. His heart hammered against his chest. Was this person friendly? Or was he as cruel as the movies depicted? Swallowing hard, Connor hardly knew what to respond with.

"Neumann?" repeated the man, moving around the side of the tree, his voice low in disbelief. "Mein Freund?"

"Jawohl," Connor replied weakly, his voice catching on his fear. As the man brought himself out of the shadows once more Connor could see the man's face more clearly. Same facial structure, same dark hair, same eyes. Even the frown bore the same likeness of the man he just lost. For a moment Connor found himself wanting to take the man in his arms and welcome him with a brotherly hug but the German brought the youth back to his senses.

"Nein, nein, Neumann, mein Freund, was tun Sie hier?" The darkness could not keep the deep concern the older man held for the younger one.

Tilting his head a little, Connor listened to the words. This person thought he was a man named Neumann, a friend? Did the darkness betray his true features or was there more to this that Connor simply wasn't seeing? Keeping next to the tree, Connor replied hesitantly in German, "What am I doing here? I've been looking for you."

"Ich sagte Ihnen," said the man, now stepping forward and exposing himself in the light. The dizziness that threatened to topple him could not keep him from recognizing the distinguishing features of his lost companion. But this reunion was bittersweet and could not last. "Ich sagte Ihnen Sie sollen gehen und sich den Amerikanern ergeben."

Connor's brows furrowed in confusion. There was something familiar about this look-alike. That tone, so strong yet compassionate, pleading. Why would a Nazi ask this of him? Or Neumann… whatever his name was? Wasn't defending the Fatherland more important than life? Defecting was a death warrant to anyone who was caught! Connor stepped towards the man, courage working through him as he remembered what Danny had told him while they both shivered in the trench. "We're a strong team and I promise that I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"Danny," Connor nearly exclaimed as he took a brisk step towards the German soldier. Fortunately for him, his companion did not seem to notice the peculiar use of the name and kept walking towards him.

The light of the moon began exposing more of the soldier's uniform. Connor couldn't recognize the chest emblems that the man wore much less make sense of the green shoulder board on his shoulder. Connor recognized the collar insignia as being that of an enlisted man, more than likely a corporal judging by the double chevron on the man's sleeve. But there was one thing missing from this tunic; the lightning bolts that marked the fearsome Schutzstaffel.

"Was tun Sie hier?" the man repeated, now close enough for Connor to see him almost fully. Nothing but confusion shone in the man's dull blue eyes.

This allowed Connor to lower his defenses. Whoever this man was, he saw Connor as a friend and not a threat and more than that, someone that the man had been trying to save. Connor slowly raised his hand to his head and gave his hair a brisk rub. Life could be so confusing at times! As Connor's hand dropped back to his side he caught a glimpse of a dark stain shining against the man's side in the moonlight.

"Danny, du bist verwundet!" Forgetting that this man was not his friend, Connor closed the gap between them and quickly placed his hand on the man's shoulder.

The German winced sharply and immediately placed his hand over his wound. Connor tried to lift his arm, urging him gently in German, "I'm going to help you. Here, put your arm over my shoulder."

"Nein! Neumann, nein!" The man pushed Connor away but the strength used to shove his friend away caused him to stumble. The soldier collapsed against the tree and for a moment he simply leaned against it, his eyes closed.

Connor stood a few steps away from him, stunned at the sudden action. It seemed that whenever someone was hurt the first action was to push him away. Connor wasn't going to have anymore of that. Furrowing his brows, Connor came closer to the German, his hand resting once more on the soldier's shoulder. This time, the man did not push him away.

Instead, the soldier exclaimed hoarsely, "Na los, gehen Sie schon!"

Pain riddled every word that the man spoke. The midnight hour could not conceal the paleness in his face nor could the weakness hide in the safety of the shadows. The soldier was wounded, and possibly dying. Connor looked about the woods, searching for the giant deer that had lead him here. None were to be seen. Perhaps it had been nothing but an illusion caused by the hunger and lack of sleep. Whatever it was, Connor knew that he had only the present to deal with and for the moment, that meant finding help for this soldier, even if he wasn't Danny Quinn.

"Gehen Sie schon, bitte!" cried the man as he opened his eyes and glared softly at Connor.

But Connor wasn't going to budge. Narrowing his eyes, Connor inquired, "Was soll ich denn tun?" No more letting others control him. "Sie etwa hier sterben lassen?"

Sorrow-filled eyes met Connor's. In a voice that still commanded the presence of someone used to leading, the German replied, "Lassen Sie mich hier zurück, Neumann." Connor shook his head; he wasn't leaving anyone behind this time. The soldier pushed off the tree slightly, maintaining eye-contact with the youth as he continued, "Ich will, dass Sie leben anstatt hier mit mir zu sterben."

And then he fell against the tree, using his shoulder to hold himself up as well as protect his injured side. His eyes fell shut and his breath slowed. Not again, not again! Giving his head another shake, Connor fought back the tears that were welling up in his eyes. Whoever this soldier was, whatever army he served, he still carried the same compassionate soul as Danny Quinn. His friend was gone, forever perhaps. But that noble heart of his lived on in others. Connor wouldn't abandon him in this world either.

"Nein, Danny," Connor begged. He gripped the soldier's arm and gently tried to pull him from the tree.

Immediately the soldier opened his eyes, but this time he looked into the forest. For a moment Connor swore he saw the elder man's eyes gleam with sadness. Then the soldier spoke quietly, "Sie können mir nicht mehr helfen. Neumann, warum tun Sie nicht was ich sage?" Inclining his head, the soldier gazed sternly upon the young man that was next to him.

Connor swallowed his tears. "No, you're not beyond help," whispered Connor in German. "I'm listening to you Danny, but I'm through just listening to you. I want to help you and I'm going to help you. I can't…" Connor gripped the soldier's arm and began easing him away from the tree, "I can't just watch you die, not again, Danny, please…"

The soldier tried to shove Connor away once more but missed his footing and collapsed unceremoniously to the ground. Connor dropped to his side, his hands automatically on the German's shoulder as if he truly were his friend. The German hadn't even cried out in pain. With utmost care, Connor began pushing the soldier onto his back. To his amazement, Connor saw that the man had bitten his lower lip to keep from crying out.

"Ich bin hier," Connor whispered, edging closer to the man. Danny's strength and determination radiated in just the man's eyes. But Connor would not be deterred. If Danny Quinn was truly gone, then maybe this soldier would be the last time he would get to see his friend. "Ich bin hier, mein Freund."

The soldier removed his hand from his side and grasped Connor's hand that was still resting on his shoulder. "Bitte, Neumann, mein Freund, seien Sie vernünftig." He grasped Connor's hand firmly, pleading with his eyes, so vibrant now with quiet resolve. A small smile spreading across his parched lips. He ordered softly, "Gehen Sie."

"Nein, nein," Connor whispered back, covering the man's hand with his remaining hand. He shook his head firmly, a tearful smile breaking across his face. He replied back in German, "Call me insensible then because I'm not going to let you die here."

"Neumann, es ist sinnlos, völlig sinnlos." The man's eyes started to shut and immediately Connor began rubbing the back of his hand. How could trying to save him be useless? There was no such thing as a vain attempt at saving one's life! The German forced his eyes open, begging Connor in a trembling voice, "Bitte, gehen Sie…"

"I'm going to help you Danny," Connor whispered fiercely.

"Neumann," the soldier squeezed Connor's hand tightly, his words edging into darkness, "Entscheiden Sie sich für das Leben und nicht den Tod…"

"Ganz ruhig," Connor spoke soothingly. There was nothing he could do to keep the German awake. All that mattered now was comforting him. Not letting go of his hand, Connor continued, "Alles wird gut. Ich bin es doch, Neumann--" The German smiled briefly, his eyes shutting. Connor swallowed hard, finishing quietly, "--ihr Freund."

He may not have been this man's friend named Neumann, but Connor wasn't going to let him die thinking that his friend wouldn't try saving his life. Without hesitation, Connor quickly began gathering the man in his arms. Looking to the cold forest canopy, Connor whispered, "Please, help me save him. If somebody up there is listening to me, anyone at all, help…"

* * *


	6. Help Him!

**Characters**: Connor, Abby, Danny Quinn, Nick, and Corporal Baumann  
**Spoilers**: None  
**A/N**: I own nothing of "Primeval" that belongs to Impossible Pictures and I make no money from this, clearly. This is a crossover between "Primeval" and "The Bunker" and no one will have needed to see "The Bunker" to understand this. And no, I didn't just write this on a whim.  
**Summary:** After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny Quinn's doppelganger, who seems to know Connor. The team is further puzzled when the soldier offers Connor the message: "Leave me here to die."

* * *

"Abby! Cutter!"

As Connor trudged up the steps he was met at the door by Nick. The man's face was flushed with anger and Nick snapped at him, "Where have you been Connor? We've been worried sick about you! What are you doing, going off all alone like that and--" His eyes rested on the unconscious German in Connor's arms. "Oh no, no no no, Connor… you cannot bring him in here."

"I can… and I will!" Connor replied as he glared at Nick.

Entering the cabin, Connor made his way towards the bedroom and before setting the German onto the bed. As Connor began pulling off the jacket, Nick appeared in the room demanding, "Just what the hell are you doing Connor?"

"What does it look like?" Connor retorted, sniffing away his annoyance. "I'm saving his life."

Nick came closer to Connor and saw the insignia on the uniform. Sighing in frustration, Nick ran a hand through his hair and said, "You can't just go off in the middle of the night to retrieve some soldier, especially one like him!"

"He's a life," Connor replied stiffly. He paused briefly to glare reproachfully at the person he used to admire. "Does it honestly matter what side of the war he's on?"

"That's not what I meant and you know that!" Nick made his way to the bed but was gently pushed aside by Abby as she went to Connor's patient. Her hand flew to her mouth the instant she saw his face.

"No… it can't be!" She looked up at Connor, her eyes begging for an answer.

"It's Danny," Connor replied with a hopeful grin.

"That's impossible!" Abby leaned over the German's still figure and placed her fingers against his neck to check for a pulse.

At last Nick was able to see the man that Connor was trying to protect. For a moment he too believed that he was looking upon Danny Quinn. But the idea of Danny surviving the wolves and making it through the anomaly was implausible. And surely had Danny made it through, the cabin was not so far off that he wouldn't have been able to locate it without changing clothes.

Clearing his throat, Nick said, "It is impossible because that's not Quinn."

"Of course it's not. It's just his doppelganger." Still worried that the man would bleed to death, Connor looked to Abby and inquired anxiously, "How is he?"

"His pulse is weak but it is steady," Abby replied as she straightened. Ignoring Nick, Abby moved around the bed and began tearing the soldier's shirt. Once the wound was exposed, Abby spoke to Connor, "I'm going to need some cloth and some water." She sighed and wiped a hand through her fringe. "Hopefully there is still some coming into this place."

"I'll get it now."

Nick stepped to the side as Connor rushed past him. He couldn't believe that the two were outright ignoring him. As disbelief over the sudden mutiny sank in, Nick moved towards the door and said, "I hope you two are well aware what this situation indicates."

"A man slowly bleeding to death," was Abby's simple response.

Connor snuck back into the room, grinning inwardly at Abby's commitment to helping people. As he handed her the towels, he said, "Thanks Abby."

Once more Nick sighed, this time running his fingers through his hair as he came back to the bed. "Look, I know it is unfortunate what happened to this soldier and under normal circumstances I would be in favour of saving his life. But presently, this means that we are behind enemy lines and that the Germans are so far scattered that even their wounded are losing their way."

"Or," said Connor as he moved back out of the room. "Perhaps we are stuck between the two lines. After all, chilly weather like this with leaves on the ground makes it a pretty strong indication of fall. And about this time, depending on where you are, Operation Market Garden has probably just started."

"Oh, that's just perfect," said Nick sarcastically as he began to pace. "So instead of just worrying about being exposed to just normal soldiers on either side, we have British and American paratroopers coming at us from the west and experienced panzer divisions to the east. Oh, that's real reassuring Connor. The fact of the matter remains that at any moment we could be faced with soldiers. And Allied or not, we cannot be seen by any of them. You might have rewritten part of history just by bringing him here!"

"His name is Danny," said Connor as he walked back to the bed and handed Abby a water basin.

"Did he tell you this?" Nick inquired as he watched the youth kneel by the bed. "Or are you still convinced that this is Quinn?"

"I'm not a child Cutter, I know that this isn't my best friend but someone else." The anger burning within Connor was mixed with sorrow in remembering that even by saving this man's life, it still wouldn't bring him his lost friend. Sniffing back his grief, Connor continued, "When I called this man 'Danny', he acted as though this was added reassurance that I was someone he knew. He treated me like a friend, someone he really cared about."

Taking the jacket, Connor reached into the inner pocket and pulled out slips of paper. He smiled when he read the identification papers. Proudly he presented his find to Nick. The professor was astonished at what the papers indicated.

"See," Connor said as he beamed knowingly. "Daniel Baumann. That's his name. And he's like Danny Quinn too. He's good, Cutter, I can feel it. Please, we need to save him."

Nick was about to respond when Abby cut in suddenly.

"Connor-- I hate to cut in on your discussion but his wound is pretty bad, and by the looks of it, he's already lost a lot of blood."

Resting his hand lightly against Baumann's forehead, Connor took in a small breath before he asked, "Can Danny be saved?"

"He wasn't shot, he was stabbed. So at least we won't have to worry about retrieving a bullet." Abby sighed and began cleaning around the wound. "It seems that he was stabbed through his side but the angle of it made it so it didn't hit anything vital. The ribs suffered the most damage, luckily for him. But…"

"But what?" Connor regarded Abby anxiously, completely unaware that tears were finally making their way down his cheeks.

Rubbing her brow with the back of her hand, Abby continued quietly, "Judging by how the scrape marks have healed, this poor man has been bleeding for several hours. He's lost a lot of blood and the chances of infection is very high." There came a pause as Connor shut his eyes and tried to suck in his grief. He wasn't going to lose this Danny either! Seeing Connor's plight, Abby added, "However, if we cauterize the wound, he'll have a chance."

Once more Abby paused as she placed her hand over Connor's. "And it is likely that if he wasn't able to find either army, he would have died in a few hours."

Connor sighed and a small wisp of a smile dotted his features. He brushed away his tears and clasped her hand tenderly. "Thank you Abby."

"Don't thank me. He's not out of the woods yet." Abby looked over to Nick and asked, "Can I build a fire now?"

"That wouldn't be a good idea," Nick stated firmly, making sure to not look at Abby as he said this. Instead he kept his eyes on Connor, who now was regarding him as though he had just been betrayed. "If we are between lines and we don't know which direction either army is headed, we could alert either side to our location by lighting that fire. Unlike the prehistoric worlds that we have been in, we cannot be seen in this one. Everything we do here has an impact on us directly, especially with this war. We must do nothing but wait for the next anomaly."

"Why don't you want to help him?" Connor interrupted as he glared accusingly at Nick.

Sighing, Nick leaned against the doorframe and drew a hand through his hair. He replied, "Connor, I don't want him to die either but,"

"But you're sentencing him to death!"

"He's not Quinn, Connor. No matter how much you want him to be, he will never be the friend you lost. Quinn, the man who is your friend, is dead, and there is nothing that we can do to change that. Helping this man will not bring him back. Connor, you're going to have to accept that there are some things that you cannot change."

"But we can save this man's life!" Connor exclaimed, disbelief glaring from his eyes. How could Nick refuse aid to someone? Wasn't that entirely against his own personal values? Connor looked back at the unconscious Baumann before continuing, "How am I supposed to just accept that we have a chance at saving someone's life but all we're going to do is sit here and do nothing?"

"Connor, we don't know anything about this man. What if this man is supposed to die, Connor? Would you want to be responsible for changing the future?"

"If it means another life saved then yes, I would gladly take responsibility," replied Connor with a stubborn frown. The earlier sorrow in his voice steadily transformed as he found strength in his resolution. He could not be pushed into changing his mind.

However, the newfound courage only added to the uncertainty of the dilemma that Nick had to face. He asked, "Connor, what if this man lives and has children who wind up tearing the country apart, or doing something else that alters the present as we know it? Remember what Abby said? If this man wasn't able to find either army he would bleed to death out there."

"His name is Baumann and that is a horrible way to die! What if he was supposed to find an army and actually makes it through the war? But even if he wasn't supposed to live, what if he has children and they find the cure for cancer… or some other disease." He looked over at Abby and found that she was nodding her head in agreement. Hope surged through Connor's heart at this display of loyalty.

"If that is what Baumann's children would be destined for, the world would greatly welcome them," Nick replied as he clasped his hands together. Leaning his head against the door, Nick continued, "But we just can't be certain of what saving him is going to do. Even if we save him, he still may not survive the war. And if he was not meant to live beyond now, what other harm could we be bringing the Allies by letting him live?"

"What are you suggesting?" Connor demanded, his glare hardening, "That he would play some significant role in a war that is almost over? He's not some killer, Cutter. When I first found him, Danny called me 'Neumann' and always referred to him as 'my friend'. Everything he said to me was not in a superior, from-one-soldier-to-another tone. It was spoken like two comrades who had grown so close that they were like brothers.

"He cared so much about this Neumann that he seemed grief-stricken that I wasn't surrendering to the Allies. Danny wants Neumann safe and was willing to die completely alone but happy in the knowledge that his dear friend was safe. Whoever this Neumann is, he's a friend that Danny wanted safe with the Allies. And in case you forgot your history, if it was found that a soldier was deserting or that another had helped him, they were shot without a trial."

Connor paused and his expression softened as he pleaded, "Danny is a regular soldier. He is good, I can feel it. He's like our Danny! We can't just condemn him to death! Please Cutter, let us help him! Don't make me watch him die."

"All right, he can stay," Nick said as he looked up towards the ceiling. "Do whatever is necessary to treat his wound but as soon as you are done, get rid of that fire!"

Abby nodded and Connor bowed his head, whispering words of gratitude. Turning to Connor, Abby said, "I need you to get whatever you can burn and make a fire. Then find me a big knife."

"What if there aren't any knives?"

Abby sighed and sadly regarded Baumann's pale face. "Just find me a knife, okay?"

Nodding, Connor left the room. He hurried into the living room, bumping into a few objects that were obscured by the darkness of the night, and made sure that the fireplace was still operable. Satisfied, Connor began gathering some of the wood that had been left by the fireplace. He quickly placed in a few logs and was about to rise when he suddenly smelled something burning. Panic jumped into Connor's throat but the moment he rose, Nick was there to greet him.

"This should speed things up a bit," said Nick as he handed Connor a burning piece of newspaper. There was a faint hint of a smile in the older man's eyes as he watched Connor nestle it among the wood. Soon the wood was engulfed in flames.

A slight feeling of shame overcame Connor, and for a moment he was disposed to sitting next to the fire, gazing into it and wishing that he hadn't said all of those harsh words. It wasn't easy to get along with Nick Cutter; it never had been. Even after creating the anomaly detector and making it mobile, Connor still had felt a desire to keep proving himself worthy to Nick. But all of that seemed ruined with his sudden rebellion against Nick's judgment, something which Connor knew that he would not be able to live down. But what was pride if it meant the death of another man?

"Connor, I know you care about that man in there," said Nick softly as he continued studying the youth. Keeping his tone gentle, Nick continued, "And I also know that Danny Quinn meant a lot to you. What your heart tells you to do is usually the right course of action, but in this case Connor, I hope you will remember that we are not in the present."

Connor stiffened and braced himself for another verbal confrontation. But to his surprise, Nick simply added, "I do hope that he makes it."

Meanwhile, as Abby pressed a fresh cloth against Baumann's wounds, she noticed the man beginning to stir. Fear crept through her as she watched the man awaken. There were times that wounded soldiers lashed out at the people that were trying to help them, terrified that they were instead being slowly butchered to death. Making sure that the cloth was secure over Baumann's wound, Abby backed away from the man. When at last he opened his eyes, Abby held her breath and waited.

The German took in a few uneven breaths before letting his head turn opposite of Abby. After a moment of taking in the dimly lit room, Baumann shifted his gaze and faced Abby. The woman stood paralyzed in her spot, clutching one of the bloodied rags.

"Don't be afraid," Abby whispered, hoping that she didn't sound as nervous as she felt. "I'm only helping you. You were wounded." Abby pointed at the man's side and then showed him the cloth. "You are in good hands, I promise."

Baumann regarded the rag in Abby's hand and then tried to look at his wound. But the pain drove him back onto the bed and he simply let out an exhausted sigh. "Kein angst, fräulein. Ich werde Ihnen nichts tun." Then he returned his gaze to the ceiling and his frown deepened. "Wo ist mein Freund? Neumann?"

That's the name that Connor had mentioned! Donning a cheerful smile, Abby replied, "Neumann? Hold on just a moment, yeah? Let me go get him."

Abby then stepped into the hall and towards the living room. Through the darkness she could hear Connor and Nick's voice. She urged quietly, "Connor! Your friend is awake and he's asking for you! I need you, now!"

"Don't worry," said Nick as he placed a comforting hand on Connor's shoulder. "I'll get everything ready, you just make sure that your friend stays calm. If he at all proves dangerous I will--"

"He's not dangerous," replied Connor with the smallest of smiles. "He's Danny. And he won't hurt me, or Abby."

"Come on!" Abby insisted, tugging on Connor's arm until he was following her.

When the two re-entered the room, Baumann inclined his head and greeted Connor with a friendly smile. "Mein Freund!"

Connor knelt next to the bed and grasped Baumann's hand. In German he responded, "I'm here and as I said before, I'm not going to leave you."

"Who is this?" Baumann inquired, regarding Abby. "And who is the other person?"

"This is Abby, and she is part of the Underground. I met them earlier and they said that they could help. They really do want to help you Danny."

Baumann chuckled suddenly and squeezed Connor's hand. "You are a good man, Matthias. But you shouldn't be trying to save me."

"You've said this before. Why do you not want me to help you?"

"Die Panzer kommen."

"You know they can't move at night," Connor responded, his voice catching as he tried to maintain his composure. "So for now, I'm going to take care of you. You're safe here." He looked over at the door as Nick appeared. This was it. Turning back to the German, Connor gripped his hand even tighter and told him, "To avoid infection we have to cauterize the wound. Do you understand?"

"I don't have a choice," chuckled Baumann. He sighed softly and whispered, "Just get it over and done with. And Matthias, if I die, get to England. It's the only safe place for us now."

"I will," Connor replied. "But you are not going to die."

Abby took one of the clean cloths and handed it to Connor, telling him, "Give this to him Connor. It's going to be very painful and I doubt you'd want him to break your hand."

"He won't hurt me," Connor said with a small smile. "He's my friend."

Baumann willingly took the cloth and bit down on it as Nick brought the knife over to Abby. When Connor saw it, he knew that it was a bayonet. Where Nick had found that was beyond his understanding but at the moment, Connor didn't care. He watched as the glowing blade was brought towards the wound. As soon as the fiery metal touched Baumann's flesh there came a terrible hiss. A wisp of smoke floated in the air that immediately wreaked of scorched flesh.

On the bed Baumann writhed in agony and his teeth clamped hard onto the cloth. Connor held the man's hand tightly and watched helplessly as Baumann fought the torture. And though the procedure had only taken a few moments to accomplish, it took Baumann even longer to settle down. Connor grimaced as the grip on his hand worsened but for the German's sake, he wasn't going to complain. Instead he took a dry cloth and gently wiped the sweat from Baumann's brow.

"You did it Danny, you did it," Connor whispered in encouragement. He was overjoyed at Baumann surviving and even more pleased to see him calming at last. But his happiness soon turned to grief when he watched his friend begin to shut his eyes. In the sudden panic, Connor forgot his German and blurted, "Don't go to sleep Danny! Stay awake mate!"

"Connor." Abby gently placed her hand over his. "He's going to be fine. Just let him sleep."

Though it grieved him greatly, Connor did as Abby said and watched as Baumann fell unconscious. A smile came to Connor and he resumed wiping away the sweat from Baumann's brow. "He's just as strong as Danny and equally hard-headed. Luckily for us, it's proven to be of great help." He looked up at Abby and smiled through grateful tears. "Thank you for what you have done for him, Abby."

The young woman bowed her head a little and smiled. "He means a lot to all of us Connor. You're not alone in feeling that way. We're all in this together."

"All of us," echoed Nick from the door. He kept his watchful gaze on Connor for a moment, making sure that the youth understood that he meant every word. Then he said, "I'll put out the fire and I'm going to stay upfront for the rest of the night to keep watch. The both of you, stay in here and try to get some rest."

"We will," the pair replied.

As soon as Abby finished bandaging the wound, Connor pulled a blanket over Baumann. He was then handed a second blanket. "Here, put this on him as well. It may feel warm to us but we've also been stuck in the ice age and he hasn't. He's going to need all the warmth that he can get if he wants to fight off infection."

"You think of everything," Connor teased gently as he covered Baumann a second time. After making sure that his German friend was comfortable, Connor followed Abby to the wall where he slid down next to her. Pain shot through his leg and as he hit the floor he was reminded of the dire wolf encounter. He groaned and immediately began nursing his arm. "Why didn't I feel this earlier?"

"It's the adrenaline," replied Abby in a matter-of-fact tone. "Now that the excitement is over your body is feeling its own injuries."

"That explains a few things," Connor grumbled as he winced once more. His eyes began to droop but he fought it off in an attempt to salvage the few bits of pride he had left. "You know Abby, if you want to, you can use my shoulder as a pillow. I promise I won't have any objection to it."

A soft chuckle escaped Abby and she playfully pushed against his arm.

Several hours later, Abby was curled up in Connor's lap and sleeping peacefully. She had his arm over her waist as a way of being comforted. Like Connor, she greatly missed the real Danny Quinn. He had always been the hopeful type, even if annoyingly optimistic at times. When Becker and Connor begged her to wait for back-up to arrive, Danny had agreed to pursuing her brother into the future without waiting. Danny had never been a quitter. It was from this that Abby was able to draw her strength.

It was also why she missed him so much. Danny had trusted her with so much and the fact that he even treated Connor more than a child, like Nick and Stephen always had, made her appreciate Danny even more. And she knew how much Connor loved his best friend. But unlike him, Abby could not openly grieve. She had to be strong for both Connor and the team. There was no room for being a woman here.

Unknown to the sleeping woman, Baumann had begun to stir. He gasped quietly as his side still throbbed like fire. But it was as the Abby had said, he was in good hands. Slowly Baumann turned his head to look for Connor and he saw the pair huddled on the floor. His discerning eyes watched them for a moment before shutting.

At last the morning light began to filter through the clouds and into the trees. In the silence of the woods there rose a steady beep. Nick jerked his head around to the table, his eyes wide with hope. Leaping at the table, Nick grabbed the anomaly detector and saw to his great joy that it was blinking furiously. Nick kissed the contraption and hastened towards the sleeping trio. Sticking his head into the room, Nick exclaimed, "An anomaly has opened! Wake up!"

"An anomaly?" Abby murmured as she lifted her head and stared up at Nick.

"Yes," Nick grinned. "Time to go."

"But what about Danny?" Connor inquired as he let Abby help him up.

"We can't take him with us," Nick replied. "It's far too dangerous to do so."

"But we're not going to leave him here, are we?"

Nick sighed and looked to Abby for help but the young woman put up her hands and said, "Do not look to me for help on this one. I knew that this was coming but I still am not sure I can give a correct answer."

"We're not leaving him!" Connor exclaimed, not even trying to keep his voice quiet anymore.

"I'm sorry Connor, but we have no other choice. Abby's stopped the bleeding and that will give him enough time to find an army. You've done your best for him."

"No, no," Connor shook his head and moved next to the bed. "Danny was making sure that Neumann got safely back to the lines and now it is my turn to help by getting him into safe hands." He looked down at Baumann and was slightly shocked to see that the man was beginning to wake up. A weak laugh escaped Connor as he said, "See, he's waking up! We've got to at least try to help him!"

"Don't argue with me," Nick suddenly snapped. "We're going, even if I have to drag you with us! You're friend is going to be safe here."

"Tanks are coming," said Connor suddenly. "That's what he told me. I know if we stay here we are liable to get obliterated by tank shells or mortars from the Allies, but I cannot leave him. This cabin is a target Cutter. At least, let me get him to someplace safe where I can explain that…" Connor suddenly squeezed his eyes shut. "How can I explain that I am abandoning him?"

"Mein Freund," said Baumann softly as he began pushing himself up. In German he said to Connor, "If it is time for you to go then you must go with them. Do not let me slow you down. I will catch up with you when I get to the Allies."

"Promise me that you will make it."

Baumann smiled weakly at Connor. "I'm sitting up at least. If I can get to my feet on my own, it is a promise."

At those words the German rose shakily. Connor reached out to help him but the German pulled his arm away. "The Panzers are coming and you must get away from them as quickly as--" the silence of the morning was interrupted by an explosion from within the woods. Baumann's eyes widened some. "They are here." Straightening, Baumann grasped Connor's hands and spoke urgently to him, "Please, get out of here. Keep running and don't look back! You will make it my friend."

"But you will get to the Allies, won't you?"

Baumann just smiled as a second blast shook the cabin. This was promptly followed by another explosion and then another. Nick appeared in the room and grabbed Connor's arm. "We've got to get out of here before they figure out that we're here! I don't know which side is blasting who, but it sounds like they're both having a go at each other!"

Connor was hardly listening as he was yanked out of the room. He made one last call for Baumann before he was dragged out of the house. Another explosion close to them rocked the ground and sent Connor tumbling into the dirt. He was hoisted gruffly to his feet by Nick.

"Can you run?" he asked.

Connor weakly nodded, throwing one last desperate look at the cabin. At that moment, Nick released Connor and raced ahead to help Abby as she ran in the opposite direction of the explosions. As soon as he caught up with her, Nick began directing her towards the apparent anomaly site. Connor limped forward, still torn between trying to help Baumann and wanting to rejoin his friends.

A mortar crashed into the side of the house causing an explosion that sent Connor into the dirt. Blinding pain filled his legs and along his injured arm. Connor cried out and held his arms over his head. Faintly he could hear Abby yelling for him and in his hazy vision, Connor could see Nick racing back to get him. Knowing that he had to move forward or else be subjected to further mortars, Connor dragged himself to his feet and sprinted towards Nick.

Another mortar pummelled the cabin, tearing it apart. As Connor ran a mortar struck the ground behind him. The shock of the round detonating hurled Connor into the base of a tree. He slumped to the ground, completely lifeless.

* * *


End file.
